How to use constraints to design a game quickly and painlessly. When you don't have a lot of time to make a game, you need to limit the scope of the game. What kind of constraints do you need to consider and what kind of options do you have? - Goals - Audience - Features - Platform Talk by @devilherdue on 9/9/2013 @hacknjill Build'n Play Park 1.

1. Make Your Life Easier.
Start with Constraints!
Nicole Leffel
@devilherdue

2. Hi! I’m Nicole.
This time last year, I went from:
~10 Employees

3. Hi! I’m Nicole.
This time last year, I went from:
~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.

4. Hi! I’m Nicole.
This time last year, I went from:
~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.
Well, sort of.

5. Hi! I’m Nicole.
This time last year, I went from:
~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.
Well, sort of.Thanks Naomi!

6. 2013: Six New Games
QUANTITY

7. 2013: Six New Games
QUANTITY
SCOPE

8. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?

9. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?
• Make money?

10. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?
• Make money?
• Teach the player something?

11. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?
• Make money?
• Teach the player something?
• Change a player’s behavior?

12. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?
• Make money?
• Teach the player something?
• Change a player’s behavior?
• Just be fun?

13. 1) Goal Constraint
What do you want the game to do?
• Make money?
• Teach the player something?
• Change a player’s behavior?
• Just be fun?
Our Goal: Build a game that encourages
players to engage with the brand.

14. 2) Audience Constraint
Who do you want to play your game?

15. 2) Audience Constraint
Who do you want to play your game?
Conventional “wisdom”...
• Women: Casual Puzzle Games
• Men: Casino Card Games

16. 2) Audience Constraint
Who do you want to play your game?
Conventional “wisdom”...
• Women: Casual Puzzle Games
• Men: Casino Card Games
DO NOT GET TRAPPED HERE.

17. 2) Audience Constraint
Who do you want to play your game?
Conventional “wisdom”...
• Women: Casual Puzzle Games
• Men: Casino Card Games
Our Audience: Changes with brands, but
generally more female skewed.
DO NOT GET TRAPPED HERE.

18. 3) Feature Constraint
What can’t your game live without?

19. 3) Feature Constraint
What can’t your game live without?
• Location-based Play
• Sync Multiplayer
• Accelerometer Controls
• Branching Narrative
• Realistic Physics
• Procedural Generation

20. 3) Feature Constraint
What can’t your game live without?
• Location-based Play
• Sync Multiplayer
• Accelerometer Controls
• Branching Narrative
• Realistic Physics
• Procedural GenerationMake a big ole list. Then pick a couple.

21. 3) Feature Constraint
What can’t your game live without?
• Location-based Play
• Sync Multiplayer
• Accelerometer Controls
• Branching Narrative
• Realistic Physics
• Procedural GenerationMake a big ole list. Then pick a couple.
Our Features: We wanted a player vs player
game that could be easily re-skinned.

22. 4) Platform Constraint
What platform does your game need to be
on?

23. 4) Platform Constraint
What platform does your game need to be
on?
• Web-based
• Tabletop
• Mobile
• Console and PC
• Physical Space

24. 4) Platform Constraint
What platform does your game need to be
on?
• Web-based
• Tabletop
• Mobile
• Console and PC
• Physical Space
Our Platform: We wanted a mobile game and
felt confident going with iOS only.

25. 4) Platform Constraint
What platform does your game need to be
on?
• Web-based
• Tabletop
•Mobile!!!
• Console and PC
• Physical Space
Our Platform: We wanted a mobile game and
felt confident going with iOS only.

26. Our Constraints
Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.
Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.
Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.
Platform: Mobile.

27. Our Constraints
Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.
> Solution: Card decks for each show.
Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.
Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.
Platform: Mobile.

28. Our Constraints
Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.
> Solution: Card decks for each show.
Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.
> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like
graphics.
Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.
Platform: Mobile.

29. Our Constraints
Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.
> Solution: Card decks for each show.
Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.
> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like
graphics.
Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.
> Solution: Game only playable with other people.
Card assets are super easy to swap.
Platform: Mobile.

30. Our Constraints
Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.
> Solution: Card decks for each show.
Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.
> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like
graphics.
Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.
> Solution: Game only playable with other people.
Card assets are super easy to swap.
Platform: Mobile.
> Solution: We went iOS only to focus on animations.

31. Our Team Created...
USA Character Cards
(available in the App Store!)

32. Four Main Constraints
1) Goal
2) Audience
3) Feature(s)
4) Platform

33. Four Main Constraints
1) Goal
2) Audience
3) Feature(s)
4) Platform
Questions? :)
Nicole Leffel
@devilherdue